Cover for sealing liquid surfaces



e 16, 1966 G. H. CRAIG 3,266,662

COVER FOR SEALING LIQUID SURFACES Filed June 21, 1962 INVENTOR GEORGE H. CPA/6 BY Y J) M Jul. 57%

ATTORNEYS United States Patent ,266,662 COVER FOR SEALING LIQUID SURFACES George H. Craig, 134 Bethlehem Pike, Ambler, Pa.; Jane Palmer Craig, executrix of said George H. Craig, deceased Filed June 21, 1962, Ser. No. 204,281 2 Claims. (Cl. 220-93) This invention relates to a sealing device and more particularly to a cover for sealing a liquid surface such as would be found in a paint can from which a portion of the contents has been removed.

The need for a device such as this has long been recognized and many devices for accomplishing this have been devised. However, none have provided the ease of introduction into the container as provided in this invention.

Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to provide a cover for sealing a liquid surface in a paint can and the like wherein the cover is foldable and readily insertable in such container.

It is another object to provide a cover as above provided with tab means for unfolding the cover after insertion into the container.

It is yet another object to provide a cover as above which is quite inexpensive so that it may be disposed of after a single use.

The above and other objects will become apparent when taken in conjunction with the following detailed description of the invention and the accompanying drawing,

showing by way of example, a preferred embodiment of the invention.

In the drawing:

FIGURE 1 is a top plan view of the cover inserted in a cylindrical container;

FIGURE 2 is a perspective view partly in section also showing the cover inserted in a cylindrical container and resting on the liquid surface;

FIGURE 3 is a plan view of the cover in folded form;

FIGURE 4 is an elevational view of the cover showing same partly opened; and

FIGURE 5 is a perspective view showing the manner in which the cover is inserted into a container.

As illustrated in the various figures of the drawing the cover comprises a disc made up of any suitable material which is impervious to air and not subject to appreciable deterioration when placed in contact with paints or other similar liquids. The disc 10 has a pair of arcuate portions 12 and 14 formed by arcuate sections 15 and 16, and 17 and 18, respectively. These arcuate sections 12 and 14 are adapted to fold inwardly toward each other along disc diameter 20. In other words, arcuate sections 15 and 16 fold inwardly about point 22 on diameter and arcuate portions 17 and 18 fold inwardly about point 24. Thus, the arcuate sections 15 and 16, and 17 and 18 are brought into confronting relationship and intermediate arcuate sections 26 and 28 overlie these confronting in-folded sections when the disc is in folded condition, as illustrated in FIGURE 3 of the drawing.

The portion of diameter 20 between pivot points 22 and 24 is, of course, the line about which overlying intermediate arcuate portions 26 and 28 swing. Each arcuate section 26 and 28 is provided with a tab assembly 30 which comprises a base 32 secured to the intermediate arcuate section and along one end edge hingedly supports a swinging tab 34. A foldable strap 36 is connected to the base 32 and the tab 34 so as to limit movement of the tab with respect to the base to an included angle of approximately As best illustrated in FIGURES 1, 2 and 4 the tab assemblies are secured to the intermediate arcuate portions 26 and 28 so that when the swinging tabs 34 are in a vertical position 90 displaced from the bases 32, the tabs will be in face-to-face relationship and the disc will be in flat condition. In other words, each tab assembly will be secured to its respective intermediate arcuate portion so that the line about which the swinging tabs pivot will be subsequently in alignment with the diameter 20 and the bases 32 will be spaced intermediate the points 22 and 24. Thus, as the tabs are brought together in face-to-face relation the infolded arcuate portions will extend themselves outwardly and form a flat disc.

It is believed that the manner in which the sealing cover is used should now be apparent, however, a brief description follows.

With the sealing cover 10 in folded position as shown in FIGURE 3 the unit is gripped by either hand, the thumb engaging the outer face of one tab, the index finger positioned between the tabs and the second finger engaging the outer face of the other tab. With the cover so held in partly expanded position it is introduced into the cylindrical container as illustrated in FIGURE 5. As the liquid surface is approached the swinging tabs 34 are brought together and the cover is thus expanded into a flat disc surface. After this it is deposited on the liquid surface as indicated in FIGURE 2.

The cover is removed by grasping the tabs and lifting the cover out of the cylindrical container. Generally, these covers are used only once since they are rather inexpensive.

It should be understood that this disclosure is for purposes of illustration only and is not to be taken to in any way limit the invention as set forth in the claims.

I claim:

1. A cover for sealing the liquid surface in a cylindrical container, said cover comprising a disc of material impervious to air, said disc having a diametrical fold line and two pairs of fold lines extending laterally therefrom, each pair of fold lines commencing at a point on the diametrical fold line spaced from the center thereof, the two commencing points being on opposite sides of the center of the diametrical fold line, each pair of fold lines defining first arcuate portions bisected by the diametrical fold line, intermediate arcuate portions formed by that portion of the disc between the first arcuate portions, the intermediate arcuate portions meeting each other at the diametrical fold line and being foldable thereabout, said first arcuate portions being adapted to be folded inwardly with the intermediate arcuate portions overlying the first arcuate portions and the bisected portions of each first arcuate portion being in face-to-face relation, and tab means mounted on the intermediate arcuate portions for unfolding the disc into flat condition, said tab means comprising a base secured to each intermediate arcuate portion immediately adjacent the diametrical fold line,

a tab hingedly secured to each base such that tabs will be in alignment with each other, and means to limit the included angle between each tab and base so that when the tabs are moved toward each other the disc may be unfolded to a flat condition.

2. The invention as described in claim 1 and wherein in the tab means the base and tab are formed from an integral member folded along an intermediate line, said fold line being immediately adjacent and parallel to the diametrical fold line and wherein the means to limit the included angle between the tab and base limits said angle to 90 degrees.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS Jannings 2291.5 X Bainton 220-93 Bentz.

Serowy 220-93 Kors 220-93 Thomas 220-93 l THERON E. CONDON, Primary Examiner.

LOUIS G. MANCENE, Examiner. R. A. JENSEN, J. R. GARRETT, Assistant Examiners. 

1. A COVER FOR SEALING THE LIQUID SURFACE IN A CYLINDRICAL CONTAINER, SAID COVER COMPRISING A DISC OF MATERIAL IMPERVIOUS TO AIR, SAID DISC HAVING A DIAMETRICAL FOLD LINE AND TWO PAIRS OF FOLD LINES EXTENDING LATERALLY THEREFROM, EACH PAIR OF FOLD LINE COMMENCING AT A POINT ON THE DIAMETERICAL FOLD LINE SPACED FROM THE CENTER THREREOF, THE TWO COMMENCING POINTS BEING ON OPPOSITE SIDES OF THE CENTER OF THE DIAMETRICAL FOLD LINE, EACH PAIR OF FOLD LINES DEFINING FIRST ACURATE PORTIONS BISECTED BY THE DIAMETRICAL FOLD, LINE, INTERMEDIATE ARCUATE PORTIONS FORMED BY THAT PORTION OF THE DISC BETWEEN THE FIRST ARCUATE PORTIONS, THE INTERMEDIATE ARCUATE PORTIONS MEETING EACH OTHER AT THE DIAMETERICAL FOLD LINE AND BEING FOLDABLE THEREABOUT, SAID FIRST ARCUATE PORTIONS BEING FOLDABLE THEREABOUT, INWARDLY WITH THE INTERMEDIATE ARCUATE PORTIONS OVERLYING THE FIRST ARCUATE PORTIONS AND THE BISECTED PORTIONS OF EACH FIRST ARCUATE PORTION BEING IN FACE-TO-FACE RELATION, AND TAB MEANS MOUNTED ON THE INTERMEDIATE ARCUATE PORTIONS FOR UNFOLDING THE DISC SECURED TO EACH INTERMEDIATE ARCUATE COMPRISING A BASE SECURED TO EACH INTERMEDIATE ARCUATE PORTION IMMEDIATELY ADJACENT THE DIAMETRICAL FOLD LINE, A TAB HINGEDLY SECURED TO EACH BASE SUCH THAT TABS WILL BE IN ALIGNMENT WITH EACH OTHER, AND MEANS TO LIMIT THE INCLUDED ANGLES BETWEEN EACH TAB AND BASE SO THAT WHEN THE TABS ARE MOVED TOWARD EACH OTHER THE DISC MAY BE UNFOLDED TO A FLAT CONDITION. 